Snippet: Damaged Goods
by Shae07
Summary: Small scene from Damaged Goods, Donna isn't the only person getting Dean updates from Sam.


Dean takes a break from welding when he sees Lexi's name on his phone and answers the call.

"Hey you," she says almost carefully.

"Don't ask me how I'm doing," he instructs.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because by now you've received the weekly 'What's Going on With Dean' email from Sam," he says sarcastically as he leans back against the table, "Is it more of a weekly newsletter or daily?"

"I don't get newsletters," she counters, "I'm special, I get video chats."

He knows she has a smart-ass smirk on her face at that comment and he smiles.

"I was calling to see if you wanted to come over, I have the three B's of a good movie night. Burgers, beer, and Bruce Willis"

Dean closes his eyes and rubs his hand across his face in exhaustion, "I wish…god, I wish I could."

"You can," her voice is quiet on the other end indicating she knows somethings up.

"Next time," he replies.

She's quiet for a moment and he picks up a hammer from the table and flips it around in his hand waiting for her response, "Will there be a next time?"

The words came slowly and hit him with a force a hundred times harder than the hammer in his hand. He could tell Lexi didn't know his exact plan, but she knew what his endgame was. She'd obviously spoke to Donna and his brother and come to her own conclusions. If she's already making this assumption, Sam isn't far behind and he knows that as soon as he hangs up with her, she will be calling his baby brother.

"Lex I…" he begins, but she interrupts him, her voice tinged with anger.

"Were you even going to say good-bye?"

"I'm not going anywhere," he tries to play it off, hoping to change her mind.

"You weren't, were you?" her voice cracks. "You are not a coward, and this Dean Winchester, is being a coward!"

He's angry at himself, for hurting his friend, for ultimately hurting his brother and the rest of his friends and family. He's angry for ever saying 'yes' to Michael in the beginning, he's angry for so many reasons.

"You were the last call I was going to make," he says angrily gripping the handle of the hammer tighter.

"Like last time," she counters, "with Amara? A last-minute phone call and some voicemail thanking me for being such a great friend and telling me you love me and how you wished things were different and to watch out for Sammy."

_You did listen to it, _he thinks to himself as she continues her rant.

"Bull shit Dean! I think I deserve more than a phone call."

"You do Lexi," he interjects, "you do, but I can't be that guy."

"You're the guy that saves the world, I know that, I know you, almost better than you know yourself," the anger has subsided in her tone.

"Then you know why I can't see you."

She goes quiet again for a moment, "There has to be another way out."

"I wish there was," he replies.

He can hear the quiet sob on the other end of the line, "Lex."

"Take care of Sam, I know."

Dean isn't worried about who will help Lexi, he knows the strong women he leaves behind her with Jody and Donna and as much as she'll be watching Sam, he'll feel obligated to take care of her. Maybe this will be what gets Sam out of the business. For a moment Dean envisions a world where Sam and Lexi live out the rest of their lives together, with a couple kids who call Mary 'Nana'.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly.

"No," she says softly, choking back tears, "I thought Charlie Bradbury was the greatest thing to happen to my life because she was my best friend, but she's the greatest because she brought me a family. She brought me you, my person. So, no regrets."

"Same," he replies, "no regrets."

They both remain silent for a minute before he speaks, "I love you."

"I know," she takes a deep breath, "I love you too."

He hears the click on the other end of the line and he slowly tosses his cell phone on the work table and tightens his grip on the hammer momentarily before he slams it down hard against the metal in front of him several times then chunks the hammer across the shed from him letting out an angry yell.

Lexi wipes the tears from her eyes as she pulls up Sam's name on her phone, hits the 'call' button, and places the phone back up to her ear.

Sam quickly grabs his phone as it begins to vibrate on the library table in front of him. He sees the name on the caller id, and he holds his breath as he answers, hoping she's going to have good news.

"Hey, what'd he say?"

"It's bad," her voice cracks, and he stands up and heads for his room.

"What's he going to do?" Sam's voice is urgent as he flips the light switch in his room and starts tossing clothes in his duffle bag.

"He didn't say," she replies, "but I think he's going to do something stupid. He gave me the good-bye speech."

"That doesn't mean," Sam tries to sound hopeful for her sake, but he's had this feeling of dread ever since his brother left.

"I could hear it in his voice Sam," Lexi states, "he's broken, he thinks he's out of options."

"I'm on my way," he says.


End file.
